DALLAS — Israel has closed its airspace to all flights until Monday as a precautionary measure prior to Iranian drone, cruise missile, and ballistic missile attacks. The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan also temporarily closed its airspace Saturday evening.
The closure of any airspace and the cancellation of civilian flights are essential to ensure the safety of passengers and prevent tragic incidents like the MH17 and PS752 disasters.
It becomes challenging for air defense units to distinguish between civilian airliners and enemy aerial vehicles. As a result, it is crucial to establish clear zones of fire for air defense systems, which airspace closures ensure.
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Cancelled Flights
Israeli flag carrier El Al (LY) has already canceled flights to various major European hubs. Flying to the conflict zone, other airlines have followed suit, including Emirates (EK) and British Airways (BA).
United Airlines (UA) is the only U.S. carrier affected by the airspace closure; this evening, the airline canceled its flight from Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) to Queen Alia International Airport (AMM), Jordan.
Delta Air Lines (DL) was scheduled to resume flights to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV) on June. 7.
The closure of airspace in the Middle East is in effect in other nations, including Egypt, Iraq, and Syria. The U.S. Embassy in Jordan stated this evening that "Due to high tensions in the region, the security environment remains."
This is a developing story.
Featured image: Darryl Sarno/airways
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